Page 97 of For One Night Only

“Seriously, Valerie, what will the staff think? Someone is going to leak to the press that you’re a total slob. How embarrassing that my daughter can’t even keep her room tidy.”

I roll my eyes at the familiar lecture. She always finds something to criticize, and she’s on a roll tonight. “How’d you get in here?” Only guests can use the elevator, and we asked security to keep her away.

“I told the receptionist it was a family emergency,” she says.

So she lied. Wade is going to have a meltdown when he finds out—any fan could exploit that if they learned which floor we wereon. Most of our fans haven’t been scary, but after tonight, they might be out for my blood.

Understandably.

“Well, good for you,” I finally say, setting my empty ice cream bowl on the tray and slipping it off the bed. My instinct is to shrug off the dirty robe, but I don’t want her to see I’m still in my stage clothes.

It’ll just give her another thing to criticize.

She places her hands on her hips. “Now, what are we going to do about your image?”

I blink at her. “My image?”

“Of course. That little stunt you pulled has consequences, Valerie Elizabeth.”

As if I haven’t been working in the industry for my entire adult life. The infantilizing isn’t new, but it still sets my teeth on edge. “I’m aware.”

“Obviously we’ve had a setback, but I just got off the phone with Label Records and they want that third album, despite the negative press. They’re willing to record without Caleb.”

My stomach plummets at how casually she dismisses him. “I can’t do this without Caleb.”

I don’t want to do anything without him. That’s what I was trying to say tonight, but it came out all wrong. What have I done?

She rolls her eyes. “Grow up, Valerie. Plenty of other bands have survived losing a member and gone on to great success.”

“This is different!”

“What, because you think you’re falling in love with him again? It’ll pass.”

It’ll pass.Like Caleb is just a summer storm that rolls through one night and leaves in the morning. But he’s not the storm—he’s my atmosphere. I’m not sure I can breathe without him.

Because…Iamstill in love with Caleb Sloane.

The realization hits me like lightning, and I want to collapse on the floor. Of course I love him. I drove him awayagain, and I don’t know how to function without him. I certainly can’t continue the band we created without him by my side. Even if any of the other Glitter Bats agreed—which they absolutely wouldn’t now—it’d be like living every day with a hole in my chest where my heart used to be, then pouring salt in the wound.

I can’t. Tears well in my eyes, and I wish I had the kind of mom who would let me cry.

But there’s no appealing to emotions with Tonya Quinn. “There’s no way the rest of the band will move forward, especially if Caleb isn’t in the mix.”

She purses her lips. “Everyone is replaceable. Besides, they won’t walk away when they realize how much money is on the line.”

“Foryou, you mean.”

My mother raises a brow. “And?”

“You’re not here because of any kind of sympathy or maternal affection.” Heat rushes up my cheeks. “You only care about this because it’ll get you a paycheck. Did you come here to push me when I’m down because you know it’s your last chance?”

“How dare you!” Her eyes flash. “You ungrateful little bitch. After everything I’ve done for you all, I deserve to be compensated for managing the beginning of your careers. Hell, I should still be managing, but you insisted on hiring a baseball player over your own flesh and blood when you got a little taste of fame.”

I swallow thickly, but no, I’m not going to cower before her this time. I sweep my arm in her direction. “I didn’t need you to be a manager—I needed my mother!”

She juts her chin. “I was there with you from the beginning!”

“No, you weren’t!” Adrenaline rushes through my body, and I let out a huff. “You were never there for me in the way I needed. Incase you haven’t noticed, becoming famous at seventeen absolutely destroyed me, and I can’t help but think it all would have been different if I’d had your support and protection. Instead, you used me.”

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